Arriving back in Colorado Springs Michaela felt almost relieved. Boston had been an emotional trip.
Not only had she had to listen to her mother's complaints about her decision to move but saying goodbye for good to her friends and colleagues had been tough.
Yet she was determined that this was what she needed, and she knew that her true friends would stay in touch.
At the airport Patricia was waiting to give her a lift to her house.
"Michaela.." they hugged, and went to the car. "How did it go?" Patricia finally asked, and looked at her friend.
Michaela knew she was not just talking about the moving arrangements, and she leant back in the car seat.
"It went well… we said goodbye" she went quiet thinking.
"Do I sense a 'but'?" Patricia asked softly and turned to look at her before starting the car.
"He said he loved me…" Michaela whispered, … "and I wish he hadn't."
For the first time she told someone, and she felt her voice cracking a little.
"You don't love him?" Patricia asked, and Michaela nodded "yes, that's why I wish he hadn't said it.
It is so complicated, and … I'm just happy to be back, so I can get organized."
She wiped away a stray tear, and smiled bravely at Patricia who squeezed her hand.
"Okay, then let's get you home, but I'm here if you need to talk to someone." Patricia started the car and they were off.
"When are your things arriving?" Patricia asked when she stopped the car in front of her house.
"Within the next couple of days. I'm going shopping for some extra things tomorrow…" Michaela smiled.
"When I'm settled I'll invite you all over for dinner." She got out of the car, and Patricia took off. She had to pick up the children from school.
Luckily the house was not empty.
Michaela had already bought a few things knowing that the bed from the old house would be far too large, and that she did not want to keep the fancy sofa,
but she missed her pictures and her knick-knack. But that evening she crashed on the sofa with a book, and simply enjoyed being all alone for a change.
A couple of days later her furniture and belongings from Boston arrived, and she was busy unpacking.
Patricia came around to help out. "Did you meet the neighbours yet?" she asked, and Michaela shook her head.
"Not yet, but I saw a boy riding his bike up and down the street yesterday."
It was a quiet street with only a few houses on the outskirts of town, and she hoped that she would get along with her new neighbours.
"William and the children are coming around a little later – they are dying to see your place , and don't worry, they're bringing pizza."
Patricia smiled widely knowing that Michaela was not someone who'd just arrange a dinner in no time
–and having invited themselves it seemed only fair that they made it easy on their hostess.
William and the children had only just arrived when there was a screech of brakes outside.
Michaela and William immediately rushed out –they both knew that sound.
"Oh, no…" Michaela rushed to the boy on the ground in front of the car.
"William check the driver", she ordered, and sat down next to the wailing boy. His leg was twisted.
People emerged from the other houses, and a black woman came running
"Anthony! Oh my God!"
The boy was crying, but Michaela managed to calm him down.
"How's the driver?" she asked William who shook his head… "drunk… Mike, I already called an ambulance and the police."
The boy's mother was in shock, and Michaela was talking softly to her.
"He's alright. He was very lucky. I believe his leg is broken, so he needs to go to hospital. They'll check if he's got a concussion as well."
"How do you know?" the mother questioned, and Michaela smiled and patted her arm.
"I'm a doctor, and I just moved in…" she pointed to her front door.
"William… " she pointed to where he was talking to the police who had just arrived ".. he's a doctor, too. Now I think you need to go with Anthony in the ambulance."
Her words seemed to calm down the mother, who got herself together.
"My name's Grace, we live next door" she pointed toward a red house at the end of the street.
"My name's Michaela – or Dr. Mike, as I just told Anthony here."
Then the ambulance arrived, and she went and spoke to the paramedics giving them the information they needed.
The next day she ventured down the road and knocked on their door. She was met by Grace who looked far more relaxed than the day before.
"I just wanted to hear how Anthony is doing?" Michaela smiled, and Grace invited her inside.
"Robert E. we've got company… he's just on his way out." Grace explained, and handed Michaela some lemonade.
"Anthony is outside on the porch. Thanks for being there yesterday."
Robert E. emerged, and shook her hand. "We're really grateful. Let us know if you need help with anything."
Anthony was reading a book and looked up when the adults came outside.
"You've got a visitor", Grace said, and he smiled at Michaela
"Hi, Dr. Mike". She sat down and spoke to him about what had happened, and she looked at Grace and said "Are you pressing charges against the driver?"
Grace nodded, and that moment a large dog came running across the yard followed by four puppies.
"Robert E. didn't I tell you to make sure they stay in their pen?"
Anthony laughed, "but Mama they love company…" by then all the dogs were on the porch and the puppies were jumping up and down the people there.
"I can't wait until they're old enough to move out…." Grace sighed and couldn't help laughing when a particularly adventurous puppy pulled at her skirt.
"I'm sorry, Dr. Mike. We should have warned you."
Michaela laughed as one of the pups attacked her feet growling. She picked it up, and got a lick on the nose. "
They're sweet –but also quite a handful, I expect". Grace nodded. "They're all moving out next week. Thank God."
Michaela settled in quite quickly in her new home. Now her personal belongings had arrived she felt much better,
and she started to look forward to beginning her new job.
She tried not to think too much about Sully, Charles and her father, but it was difficult, especially at night. However, her solitude did not last long…
She had made it a habit to visit Anthony every week to see how his leg was healing.
"You'll soon be up and about" she said and added "I'll show your Mum some exercises you can do to strengthen your leg."
Anthony nodded, but she sensed something was wrong. "Is something bothering you, Anthony? You seem a little down."
Grace had heard her question and sighed. "Anthony we already talked this over. There's nothing to do about it."
Anthony still sulked, and Michaela looked at Grace who added "it's one of the pups. He was returned because the family did not look after him properly.
One of their neighbours told Robert E. so he went and picked it up. But we can't have two dogs, so we have to put him to sleep."
Anthony had crossed his arms and looked at the floor.
"Sweetheart, it's the best we can do." Grace touched his shoulder.
Then she turned to Michaela "Robert E.'s taking him to the vet when he gets home. We asked everyone we know."
Anthony was still sulking then he muttered "Not everyone… " and he looked at Michaela "can't he live with you, please?
I'll help you walk him when you're working at the hospital…" Michaela sighed.
She never thought about having a dog. It was a lot of work. Anthony's pleading voice and eyes pierced their way to her heart.
"Maybe I can meet him and make up my mind" she suggested, and the boy broke into a big smile.
"You'll love him, Dr. Mike. He's the best." He whistled loudly, and two dogs emerged from the trees on the other side of the yard.
Even before the puppy had reached her, Michaela had made up her mind.
The day arrived when she was to start her new job at the hospital in Colorado.
She was a little nervous but she also looked forward to being useful and to getting to know more people.
She was in charge of the children's ward, and spent the first day doing rounds and speaking to her staff.
She was determined to be part of the daily routine even if she had to do a lot of paper work too.
She soon realized that her head nurse, Charlotte, was indispensable.
"Thank you so much for your help, Charlotte" she said after a few days. "I don't know what I'd do without it."
Charlotte smiled back. She liked her new boss who unlike her predecessor seemed very down to earth and caring.
"No problem, Dr. Mike." They were having lunch, and William stopped by their table on his way out of the cafeteria
"Are we on for tonight, Mike?" She nodded. "Yeah, I'll be there at seven."
He touched her shoulder lightly on his way out, and Charlotte raised her eyebrows a little.
"What?" Michaela said. Then it dawned on her "Dr. Burke and I grew up together, went to school together and studied medicine together
–he's like my brother, and his wife is a dear friend of mine."
"Oh.. I see. Sorry if…" Charlotte seemed a little flustered. Michaela smiled broadly at her.
"It's not the first time. I thought it would stop once we both married."
"He just always seems so reserved…" Charlotte pointed out.
"I've never seen Dr. Burke smiling like that before."
"You haven't seen him with his wife, I suppose. They're madly in love." Michaela said.
The two women giggled a little and continued eating.
"You said 'once you both married'… you're not married are you?" Charlotte eyeing Michaela's hands, and Michaela leant back in her chair.
Only William and Dr. Bernard knew the story about Charles, but thinking about it, it was probably best if she told people.
Charlotte looked at the woman before her, and saw her expression change.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry. It's none of my business…"
"It's okay, Charlotte. I was married but he died earlier this year –that's why I left Boston… to start anew."
Charlotte nodded. "So how do you like it here so far?" Michaela broke into a smile "I love it, but I haven't seen half of town yet."
In Boston Sully was miserable, but he tried to hide it. However, those who knew him well could tell he was not his usual self.
Daniel was one of them, and one night he took Sully out for dinner and a drink. Annabel was away, so Sully agreed.
Anything was better than staying at the house alone.
"So are you going to tell me what's going on?" Daniel said handing Sully a beer.
"What do you mean?" Sully was not really in the mood to talk, but Daniel insisted "look, you're moody, and you've got that look on your face. Trouble at home?"
Sully did not answer, but Daniel knew him too well.
"So the missus is on the war path, then…" he concluded.
Sully nodded and took a sip of his beer "yeah… " "
What's the problem?" Daniel eyed him.
They had known each other since they were children, and usually confided in each other.
"It's not working" Sully simply stated… " I feel trapped … like she wants me to be someone I'm not."
Daniel could tell it was serious this time. "Sully we had this talk before…. What's new?"
They sat in silence for a while then Sully spoke.
"I made a commitment when we got married, we both did. I just don't feel that we're on the same level anymore. We want different things…."
Daniel was concerned. He and Sully had talked about Annabel many times, but this sounded like something more.
"Like what?" he asked, and Sully leant back in his chair.
"You know my dream has always been to have a family and a simple life… it's not exactly what I've got now."
"I thought you settled with that?"
"So did I…" Sully looked at his beer.
"What has changed your mind?" Daniel was curious. He'd never seen Sully like this – so torn.
"Let's just say that someone reminded me of that dream, and I can't shake it. It just gets worse." Sully was not going to give more details.
"What does Annabel say?" Daniel finally asked.
"You know her… she just goes on like nothing is wrong, making decisions without involving me. She spends more hours working than I do…"
Sully was clearly frustrated.
What he did not tell Daniel was that part of his frustration was caused by the fact that he had not heard from Michaela
since that night at the dance, and he wondered if he had scared her off entirely.
Michaela had not forgotten about Sully or his last words to her.
Every day was a battle not to text him, and every night in bed she heard those words and felt his hands on her skin and one minute it was driving her mad with desire
and the next she was overcome with feeling guilt toward Charles.
She wanted to tell Sully how she felt, but what was the point?
If she revealed her feelings she was afraid of the consequences, so it was easier to just try and back off.
Luckily her dog was at her side – he was a Malamute and looked just like a wolf, so that was the name she had picked for him.
She spent many hours training him and taking him hiking, and when she was at the hospital she dropped him off at Grace's just like they had agreed.
He was a great companion, and she was glad she could cuddle with him on the sofa –it made it less painful.
"I love you…""Why did you have to say it?" she muttered into Wolf's thick fur, and Sully's blue eyes were all she thought about,
and how he could see right through her into her inner being.
Little by little her frustration grew, and William could tell she was struggeling.
One afternoon close to Thanksgiving she had been looking after Samuel, and when he and Patricia came to pick him up at her house, Patricia quickly took Sammy
outside to play with Wolf. William had told her he was concerned about his friend, and that he wanted to try and speak to her.
"How are you feeling, Michaela?" his use of her given name made her feel like she was one of his patients.
"Things at work are fine, and I like it here" she was a little cautious, and he gave her that brotherly look.
"I think you need to talk about it, Mike" he said softly and waited.
At first she grew quiet but after a while she spoke about how she missed her father and Charles.
"That's all?" he asked when she was done.
She nodded, and he gave her an intense look "
Sully?" his voice was low, and from her expression he could tell he'd hit a soft spot.
"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, and she sighed.
"It's difficult… he… he told me he loves me."
William was surprised, and she could tell that this was new to him, so she knew Patricia had not told him.
"And?" he asked.
"And… you know he's married to your cousin, Will!" She was frustrated which was good.
He didn't want her to suppress her feelings.
"So that's it then?" he said, and she shrugged her shoulders.
"Yes, I'm not going to break any marriages. I just have to let it go…" she spoke with determination, but her eyes told him something else.
"Just so you know it, Mike… from what I hear things in Boston are not running smoothly."
William could not help saying what he had heard from his mother a few weeks earlier.
